The Dallas Cowboys opened the 2025 NFL season against the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday, September 4th, in what was expected to be a heated game between two bitter NFC East rivals.
Thursday was also a milestone for Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. It marked the start of his tenth year in the league -- keep in mind, the average career length for an NFL quarterback is 4.44 years, and that number drops to a 3.3 average when players across all positions are considered.
He's looking to finally break past his playoff struggles and lead Dallas on a postseason run that would ideally culminate with the organization's first Super Bowl since 1996.
But September 4th is also a significant day in Prescott's personal life: it's his late mother, Peggy's, birthday.
Peggy, a single mother to Prescott and his two brothers, was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the early days of the signal-callers prolific college career. She died on November 3rd, 2013, while her son was a standout sophomore at Mississippi State.
Despite the heartbreak, Prescott suited up for the Bulldogs the very next weekend. In the year following her death, he went on to lead Mississippi State to its first-ever number one ranking and became the most decorated player in program history.
Throughout his entire college and professional career, Prescott has continuously expressed what his mother meant to him. His gesture following every touchdown -- a finger pointing to the sky as he looks up -- is a tribute to Peggy.
He has a tattoo in her memory. Prescott even chose his jersey number for the Cowboys in honor of his mother's birthday: 4, for September 4th.
Prescott's Faith Fight Finish Foundation was created as a tribute to Peggy as well. The foundation's name comes from the three key words that she often told him, and its initiatives include colon cancer research, mental health and suicide prevention, hardship assistance and bridging the gap between law enforcement officers and communities.
It continues to carry on Peggy's legacy, as well as the legacy of Prescott's brother Jace, who passed due to suicide in 2020.
Prescott won the prestigious Walter Payton Man of the Year award following the 2022-2023 season, largely due to the work of his foundation. Unsurprisingly, his acceptance speech included a very special tribute to Peggy and the impact she left on him.
"My mother was and still is my moral compass, and through my own charitable contributions, I seek to share her strength and courage with the world," Prescott said in his speech.
Even the most experienced NFL players will likely feel those nervous butterflies in their stomachs as they kick their seasons off. They'll be ready to hit the ground running with a fresh slate and a new season full of opportunity.
Prescott will probably feel that way, too. In his case, it will just mean a little bit more.